


The 5 times he almost confessed + The 1 time he did

by Koshii



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, Love Confessions, M/M, Mike-Centric, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-12 16:01:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12963036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koshii/pseuds/Koshii
Summary: Mike starts realizing just how much he likes his best friend and overtime he can barely keep it in.





	1. Valentine's Day

**Author's Note:**

> I'll change/add more tags as the story progresses! Just wait c:

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and Will lie down on a bed and think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly just introducing everything and it's not really too focused on the fact that it's Valentines. I just use the day as an excuse for them to be alone I guess :U
> 
> Sorry if there are any mistakes, feel free to let me know if you see any!

   Mike had great friends, and he loved them very deeply. He thought that he loved El the most, and more romantically than the others, but months of ‘dating’ after the Snowball of 84’, he started to think otherwise. At some point, he started to realize that his feelings weren’t as strong as he thought—plus Eleven had trouble understanding the whole concept of ‘love’.

   Sometime during the summer before his first year of high school, he took the time to carefully break the romantic relationship he had with Eleven. She understood, and was completely fine with it, as long as they were still friends. _Of course, El. You’ll still be my friend._

  Things were slightly awkward, but it was only like that for a few days. They got over it quickly, and continued with their lives normally. For the most part.

   The topic of ‘love’ still lingered on Mike’s mind, and he thought about it almost every day. Who exactly _did_ he love, if he loved anyone at all? Will he find love? When will it come? How long will it last?

   His busy mind had been all over the place, and around the middle of his first year, the thoughts only got worse.

   Finally feeling like he and his friends can be safe—at least, for the time being—he was glad he could see Will’s normal self again. His friend seemed more calm and composed, rather than being fearful and paranoid.

   Even after they got Will out of the upside down two years ago, the boy seemed slightly on-edge, and it made sense to Mike after the whole possession incident. Will eventually admit he felt a weird twisting sensation in his stomach, and it felt horrible. He said he’d have coughing fits, and which would cause him to cough up whatever was left from the other dimension. Sometimes he could’ve sworn he heard things, like croaking in the distance.

   Mike told him it would be all ok now, and nothing terrible will happen to him again.

   Thankfully, Will never had anything terrible happen to him.

   But Mike did. It wasn’t anything dangerous or frightening like what Will experienced, rather, it was something he had felt before. He suppose he didn’t mind it, but he was sure what was happening to him would just worsen and become something he won’t like.

   Years ago when Mike and Will met, they were comfortable, happy, and at home. Mike always felt a sense of joy in his chest, and it felt like he was more ‘free’ when he was with Will. At first, he thought it was nothing more than the great things of friendship, but it didn’t take long for him to start figuring it out bit by bit.

   When they had campaigns and they won, they’d all cheer, and it was normal. They’d all smile, laughing with each other, and just being relieved that they finished—normal. Mike would give his friends proud looks while grinning. Normal. But what wasn’t really considered _normal_ for him is when he’d hug everyone, patting them on the back.

   When it came to Dustin and Lucas, he’d give them an aggressive hug, almost slapping their backs from being overly excited. When it came to Will, it’d be a delicate embrace at first. Mike would almost rest his head on Will’s, lightly patting his upper back. If Will was excited enough, he’d tighten the hug, and Mike would do the same in return. While they did, Mike could feel his heartbeat go just a bit faster, just from being so close.

   Mike would just shrug it off, but the more he thought about it, the more he considered _it_.

   Mike visited Will a lot in the hospital once he was back home from the Upside-down, and he enjoyed every moment they had together. He’d never been so glad and relaxed to finally see his friend with him again.

   It was only normal that you wanted to make sure close ones wouldn’t leave again after disappearing for a week, so he’d usually keep his hand rested on Will. Whether that be Will’s arm, shoulder, or hand. He felt fine at first when he did this, and thought it was something that anyone would understand. Though, Mike couldn’t understand why he felt ‘butterflies in his stomach’ when he’d keep his hand on Will’s slowly rubbing his knuckles while they talk. He could’ve sworn Will’s face was more pink than white when he did it too.

   Almost a year after Will’s recovery, the boy had been possessed. Mike felt nothing but immense amounts of stress and concern during the worst part of it all.

  He stayed close to Will, always trying to reassure him and keep him feeling safe. Will needed him. And he definitely needed Mike when they had put him in the shed, tied up against a pole with lights bright in his face. Mike, Jonathan, and Joyce told him stories, trying to get the Will ‘out of him’. Mike cried as he told Will how much he was glad for deciding to be friends with him and that it was _‘the best thing I’ve ever done.’_

   After Will was given some time to rest once the parasite left his body, he talked to Mike again. He was nervous, but eventually brought up what Mike said in the shed. _Was it really the best thing you’ve ever done?_

  “What are you talking about?” Mike sat next to Will on his bed, raising an eyebrow.

  “When…when you said asking me to be your friend was the best thing you’ve ever done. Did you really mean it? That it was the _best_ thing?” Will had genuine concern in his eyes, and when Mike looked deep into them, he felt his stomach turn. His heart thudded for a moment, _was_ it the best thing?

   Well, too be honest, it really was. Mike’s life had become less lonely and more lively with Will around. Sure, he had to deal with the bullies Will had, but he didn’t care. He’d want to make sure he was ok, and so sitting down for ten minutes, venting, was completely fine. Will going missing and being possessed may have been some of the worst times of his life, but it helped him realized how much Mike really cared for Will.

   Every moment Mike’s friend suffered, Mike felt nothing but guilt for not taking better care of Will. He felt like he was a horrible friend. Especially when he saw ‘Will’s’ body, he was heart-broken. Heavy pressure had been put on his shoulders and chest, and hated every bit of it.

   _Good job, Michael. Your friend is gone! He’s gone! Good job! You’re a great friend. So much for the others, right?_ Mike felt terrible. But when Will returned, he felt so much happiness it seemed almost unreal.

   Had it not been for Will, Mike would most likely be more normal than ever. He’d just be a normal student going to a normal school. Nothing fun about that.   

   Will was basically the light in his regular life, and Mike would want to hold onto this light forever. Hold onto these feelings he experienced forever. Hold onto the love he felt forever.

  “Mike?”

  “What? Oh- right,” Mike looked away, clearing his throat, “yeah, being your friend was the best thing that could’ve happened. I’m…really glad I could be your…friend.”

   Will smiled a bit, looking down at the ground with Mike, “Me too.”

   Mike could tell _it_ was getting worse.

* * *

 

   Mike and the rest had finally gone through about half of their first year of high school, and Valentine’s was approaching slowly. He was no longer with El, which was fine, last year’s Valentine’s was somewhat awkward anyways, but he felt more empty than ever.

   _Love_ still stayed on his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more anxious and nervous he felt around couples, such as Nancy and Jonathan, or certain people, like _Will_.

   This is was _it_ was. How he felt around Will. By this time, he would space out more often, most likely thinking about something along the lines of, _is the mole on Will’s face real? Wait, of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be? He wouldn’t just put a dot on his face to make himself seem more adorable when he smiles. That’s…that’s…wait what?_

   Will would always snap Mike out of any internal monologues he was having, smiling but still confused as he cocked his head to the side slightly, staring at Mike.

   That look on Will’s face would make Mike tense up a bit, but not enough to be noticeable. He’d hope every time that everything he thinks was just all in his head and that none of it was being broadcasted for the world to hear.

   He hoped that Will didn’t hear _it_.

   He hoped for the same thing again as Will and him were in the Byers’ house on Valentines, both of them just lying on their backs on Will’s bed. They stared up at the ceiling in silence—but not the heavy, awkward, and maybe suspenseful silence, it was more of a calm and peaceful silence—as they were both in deep thought.

   Mike desperately wanted to turn his head, just to see the boy next to him and his soft hair fall onto the bed under them.

   They were pretty close, but perhaps two or three inches apart while their legs dangled over the end of the bed. Of course, Mike was taller, and his feet were touching the ground comfortably. Will, on the other hand, was probably a good five inches or more away from the ground. His feet swung back and forth as he thought.

   We’re both alone on Valentines, huh, Mike had a slight urge to say out loud. Their friends and family were with someone. Nancy with Jonathan, Joyce with Hopper, Dustin with El, and Lucas with Max. Though, El was only with Dustin because she felt bad for him. And Hopper was only still dating Joyce—he wanted to make sure things went smoothly and that he didn’t rush anything.

   The two of them were there, laying down in Will’s room that was only slightly more warm than the outside.

   It was still February, so the outside was still pretty cold. Mike thought it was probably because of Will’s small figure, but he still found it odd that Will was just so cold that he had to wear almost three layers—a sweater with a jacket on top and curled up in a blanket.

   Will being wrapped up like that was probably the most precious thing Mike had seen. It was like a magnet was on Will’s face, because even if Mike tried to resist the urge to not stare, he had turned and looked anyways.

   Mike felt his throat tighten when his eyes landed on the boy. Will was still looking at the ceiling, his face twitching occasionally. The blanket he had was wrapped and tucked beneath his torso and over his shoulders. Mike enjoyed the sight.

    As Mike admired him, thoughts running through his mind, the only sound that came out of him was a sigh. A sigh of relief, a sigh of _thanks for letting me be friends with him._

   Though it was a small noise, Will blinked and turned to Mike. He was obviously surprised when he moved his head and noticed how close their faces were to each other. They could just barely smell each other’s peppermint breath from the heart-shaped cookies Joyce left out for them to eat.

   Mike didn’t even realize how embarrassed Will looked—he just saw Will’s pink cheeks and thought it looked nice on him.

   _Well, gee, Mike, doesn’t he look great? Look at how his hair has grown and how it falls over his eyes. Isn’t that nice? Look at him all wrapped up, isn’t it such a pleasant sight? Don’t you want to just hold him? Keep him warm?_

  “Yeah.” Mike answered the question he had only thought of. As he said it, Will pressed his mouth into a thin line, confused.

  “Yeah? ‘Yeah’, what?” Will mumbled.

  “What?” Mike adjusted his eyes, finally seeing just how close Will is. His face becomes slightly red and he inhales sharply.

  “Mike?”

   _Mike- how much did you say? Did your frog mouth say too much? Did you say how pretty Will looked? Did you say that you-_

  “Sorry- I just spaced out…” Mike, now being able to understand that Will, the reason for _it_ , is so close. If…he just leaned down…

  “M-Mike.” Will, yet again, snapped Mike out of whatever trance he continuously kept going back to. Mike blinked, and he saw he had moved even closer. Their noses were almost touching.

  “I-“ Mike pushed himself back and sat up, flustered under his long, curly hair. “I need to go use the bathroom.”

   Will sat up as well, watching as the taller boy got up and left.

   Mike locked the door behind him, and stood over the sink. He stared in the mirror, finally letting out the breaths he tried to slow down earlier. His face was still red, and he hated it.

   He hated how his heart was beating loudly in his chest. They’ve known each other for so long and they’ve been close before, so why freak out now?

   Mike assumed it was because of how much he thought about _it_. As he continued thinking about it, situations he’s been in before just become more nerve-wracking now.

   _You were pretty close there, Mike! Just a bit more and you would’ve kissed him! He would’ve hated you! Maybe that’s why you were better off dating Eleven. If you keep falling for Will, not just him, but everyone else will all think you’re some weird, queer frog._

   He stared at himself in the mirror, examining each and every freckle he had, his hair that’s never consistent, and his lips that looked terrible on his face.

  _Don’t you hate how ugly you are? Even if you told Will that you were basically dying for him, he’d just reject you. He’d probably be really uncomfortable around you and look at you with disgust. Like, hey, there’s that guy who said he liked me, and that’s really weird because boys don’t like boys. He was probably thinking about how close your horrible face was to his too._

   Mike gripped the sides of the sink. He hated _it_ so much. He hated the fact that he was in love with his best friend, Will. He hated how much he had the urge to just admit his love for him. He hated how complicated his thoughts were. He hated it all.

  “Mike, are you ok?” Will said, muffled through the door. Mike shot his head towards it, “Y-yeah. Why?”

  “You’ve…um…been in there for awhile. And I didn’t hear anything so it sort of worried me.”

  “I’m ok. I’ll just be out in a second.” There was a moment of silence before Mike could hear Will’s footsteps go down the hallway. Mike exhaled.

   Mike didn’t hate one thing though. Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how fast I'll type the rest of this. :,)


	2. Will's Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Will's fifteenth birthday, and Mike still can't help with being in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this (And the next chapters) are short! The first chapter was more for explaining things, so...sorry about that. The last chapter should be long...hopefully. If you find any mistakes or want to critique me, feel free.

 

   Mike, being the teenager he is, he obviously has issues with trying to figure out love. It’s such a huge and annoying topic to him, but he wants to figure out the answer. He wants to figure out how he’s so head over heels with Will.

   Of course, he can’t be constantly thinking about it. Especially not on March 22nd, Will’s birthday.

   He’s known Will for awhile and has been there for him constantly. Mike has been there for Will during difficult times, like when Lonnie left, or when he was bullied, which was often. He’s definitely there for Will when it’s his birthday too.

   Every year, Mike and his friends would go to the Byers’ house to celebrate Will’s birthday. It’s still the same, just more people are there this time. Will’s fourteenth birthday was the first time Eleven and Max were there to join. Hopper has joined in before, but just once or twice.

   Even if there were more people, Will didn’t mind. He’d try and talk to all of them.

  “Hey, Will.” Mike stood behind the couch where Will was sitting in his living room. Will looked up, and grinned when he met Mike’s eyes.

   That small look made Mike’s heart jump for a moment. “Hi.”

  “Happy Birthday.” Is all that came out of Mike’s mouth even though his mind was swarming with thoughts.

 “I think that’s the third time you’ve said that to me.” Will chuckled.

 “And I think that’s the third time you’ve seen this movie.” Mike replied, taking a quick look at the screen to see what was playing. It was Star Wars, _Return of the Jedi_ , to be exact. It came out a few years ago, yet Will seemed to still have a liking to them.

  “I know.” Will said, going back to watching.

   Mike looked around. No one else was in the living room, the rest were in the kitchen or dining room, chatting. _Strange_.

  “Hey- Will? Why is it just you watching?”

  “I told the others it was ok if they didn’t watch—so they’re not.” Will put it simply. He told Joyce it was really ok if they didn’t watch. She was hesitant at first, but said agreed. _Ok, honey. But if you need anything, just let me know._

   Mike could hardly keep his eyes on the screen, he was too focused on the small boy sitting on the couch, staring intensely at whatever was happening. He thought it was cute, at how focused Will could be at times.

   They could be in class, and Will would be so absorbed in the lesson. Though, he couldn’t blame him, science _was_ a pretty interesting class for them. But when Mike looked at Will, he could’ve sworn he saw some sort of spark in his eyes.

   Mike’s heart almost stopped when he saw that look on Will’s face.

  “Do you-“ Mike started to walk to the other side of the couch, “Do you mind if I watch with you?”

   Will smiled, “No, not at all- here, sit next to me.” He said as he moved a bit and patted a spot next to him on the couch.

   Mike nodded, sitting. But instead of where Will’s hand was, it was a few inches further. He felt awkward, but he’d probably feel more awkward being _that_ close to Will. It was all _its_ fault.

   Will opened his mouth to question the odd distance between them, but snapped his mouth shut before shrugging and continuing to watch. Mike tried to focus on the movie, putting his elbow on the armrest and putting his head on his arm. All he could really think about was how happy Will looked.

   _You’re hopeless, Mike. At this point, your mind is just way too caught up in thinking about this love bullshit. Can you just stop for a second? Think about girls? Like a normal boy would? Christ, Mike._

   As Mike continued to yell at himself internally, Will looked over at the rest of the guests, seeing them all caught up in some sort of big conversation. He turned back to Mike, and noticed how frustrated he seemed. He took a deep breath before scooting over, closer and closer, then finally—pressing his shoulder against Mike’s.

   _You should probably just excuse yourself. Leave. Leave before anythi-_

   Mike felt a little startled when he felt sudden warmth on his right side. He slowly looked down, and felt his neck tighten when he saw Will looking right back up at him, the corners of his mouth turning up.

  “Hi.” Will whispered.

  “H…hi.” Mike mumbled back, immediately turning away afterwards, not wanting to stare for too long. That’d be too weird if he did.

   Will took another glance at the kitchen, then gently rested his head against Mike.

   Mike tensed, and swore in his mind when he couldn’t help himself from looking at Will. They made eye contact again. Mike’s face softened when he sank into Will’s eyes. A beautiful mix of green and blue, and Mike was in love.

   _Look at how close you are again!_

   They were, in fact, pretty close. Both just staring at each other, observing facial features. Both observing the blush they both had on their cheeks.

   _Come on, Mike. Just tell him! Tell him how beautiful he is. Why don’t you kiss that pretty face of his while you’re at it, yeah? You get a prize if you do!_

  “You’re…” Mike started.

   _You get a title! The title of ‘Mike, the queer frog’!_

  “I’m what?” Will questioned, smiling softly.

   _Mike the queer frog!_

  “No- no, nothing. It was nothing.”

   Will raised an eyebrow, “Ok, then.” He smirked before going back to watching, still resting against Mike.

   _Of course you couldn’t say it. Didn’t feel like accepting that title, along with rejection and judgement, huh? It doesn’t matter if you don’t say anything. It’ll still haunt you, and the words of ‘I like you’ and ‘You’re beautiful’ will just dance at the edge of your tongue, just waiting to finally be let out. Until then, you’ll suffer in your own self-hatred and fear, and that’s fine! That’s completely fine._

   Mike sighed, then turned to the screen.

   God, he really can’t handle _it_.


	3. Summer Campaigns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally do a campaign again, just like before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I don't know why this took me so long to make :^) This is obviously shorter than the last two, but hey, it happens and I'm just annoyed that I've been putting this on hold. 
> 
> Twitter - @yellingkoshii  
> :)))

 

   The Party was growing up, and their past habits had eventually stopped. They grew out of them. And since they were just Freshmen, about to become Sophomores once this summer break was over, they became more busy. Any time they would hang out would be shorter than it would usually be, their parents had expectations, and they couldn’t spend every hour of their free time just playing around.

   But it was summer—they had a whole lot of free time.

   Dungeons and Dragons, a game where they’d play for ten hours once the campaign was planned, was one of the things they’d usually do. Joyce and Karen had become more strict about it, Joyce not wanting Will to become too exhausted, and Karen not really enjoying the fact that they were sitting in her basement for hours, playing some nonsense game.

   They stopped, of course, they still tried to make shorter campaigns, but it wasn’t as fun.

   Now with summer rolling around, they had all the time in the world to start those campaigns again.

   They all sat in Mike’s basement, all relieved that they could finally get a break and hang out with each other. They planned the campaign before summer started, so now they just had to set it up and play.

   For hours, Mike would go back to being the overly dramatic Dungeon Master, Dustin and Lucas would argue, and Will would be excited again. (Max and Eleven were there, but they were mostly confused, but still going along with it.)

  “Fireball him, Will! Christ! Just do it already!” Dustin yelled.

  “Ok, fine- you don’t have to tell me twice.” Will rolled his eyes affectionately, grabbing the dice and shaking it furiously in his cupped hands, hoping for the best. When he let go, it flew across the room, and they all groaned.

  “This seriously has to stop happening, Will.”

  “Just hurry up and find it!”

   The boys scrambled across the ground, (The girls sat still, watching.) looking for their literal last hope.

   Will crawled around where Eleven’s fort used to be, peeking in every spot possible. He spotted the red dice, but didn’t say anything until he could properly see what he had rolled. He squinted, picking it up, and letting his shoulders relax when he saw he rolled a fifteen. More than enough to win.

  “Hey,” Mike whispered, crawling up next to him, grinning. Will made a surprised noise. “You cheating?”

   Will shook his head, laughing, “No I’m not.”

  “Sure you are. What did you roll?”

  “A fifteen.”

  “You totally didn’t. You changed it.”

  “I’m serious!”

   Mike pat his back, “I know. I’m just messing with you.” He stood up and pulled Will up with him, “Found it.” He announced to the others.

   They all rushed back to their seats, excited and waiting for what Mike has to say.  

  “A fifteen,” He gives Will a small smile, “The foul beast growls, attempting to claw at Will, but alas, it struggles painfully…and collapses beneath your feet. It’s over.”

   They all cheer, just like before. Will goes to Mike first, giving him a nice, big hug. He grins up at Mike, making the taller boy’s heart flutter. He loved that look on his face, and felt warm on the inside. God, not this again.

   _You made him happy. Congratulations. Will you make him happy for the rest of your life, though? Make him smile every day? Give him the love he needs?_

  “Good job, Will.”

  _Give him the love that you have bottled up in you?_

“I-“

_Love that you can’t let out because you don’t want others, especially him, to judge you and turn away from you? Go ahead._

  “I-I’m proud of you.” Mike attempts to say smoothly. Will raises an eyebrow, but only for a moment, and then nods. He goes off to hug the others, leaving Mike there, cursing under his breath.

_Good thing you didn’t tell him. ‘I’m proud of you.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I planned on making this July 4th at first, but said no because I'd save fireworks for the end (wink, wonk), then thought about them using water balloons, but it seemed stupid so  
> yeah


	4. Pumpkin Carving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and Will would rather carve pumpkins than trick or treat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...I'm trying to finish these as quickly as I can. I really want to write other things. I have to write about other ships oawjewe it can't just be all Byler
> 
> or can it
> 
> twitter - @yellingkoshii

 “You’re not going trick or treating?” Mike gawked at Will, “I thought you enjoyed it.”

   They both stood in the Byers’ kitchen, waiting by the counter for Joyce.

  “I don’t know, I guess I just…grew out of it.” Will shrugged, looking down at the spoon and knives in front of them.

   They stayed silent until Joyce finally showed up, “Sorry, boys, didn’t mean to take so long.” She placed two small pumpkins on the counter, “You guys can carve it though. Do whatever you’d like.” She gave them a small smile before going out the door again. Will said bye, sighing silently. His mom was still as busy as ever.

  “Come on, Will, let’s just work on these. Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

   They began carving out the top, taking the top off and spooning out the insides. Mike laughed when Will struggled, using so much force that when he released, the spoon flung back a chunk of seeds. Whenever it would get on their hands, they’d occasionally wipe it off on the other’s arm.

  “That’s gross, Mike.” Will said, looking down at the orange sticky strings on his arm. Mike snorted, “I’m just decorating.”

   Once they were done with that, they washed their hands, then gave each other smug grins.

  “Mine is going to look a lot better than yours.”

  “You know it won’t.”

  “Yeah, I do.”

   Will chuckled at the response, and grabbed a small knife. He carefully and slowly stuck a hole through the pumpkin, and made sure he was precise with how he cut. Mike, on the other hand, was almost stabbing the poor pumpkin.

   Will glanced over at Mike, “This isn’t a race.”

  “I know.”

  “Well, ok-“ Will winced and hissed, “Shit-“

   Mike spun his head to him, surprised by the sudden language, “Will?”

   Will dropped the knife, holding his red finger, blood streaming out of it, “Ah- god, that hurts.”

   Mike panicked, “I- here- wash it off- I’ll go find bandages.” He quickly turned the sink on and ran into the bathroom. Will held his finger, letting the water wash it off, taking in sharp inhales.

   As Mike shuffled around the cabinets, he worried. _It’s all your fault, you distracted him, and now he’s hurt himself._ He checked each shelf, looking for anything that would help. _Hurry up_.

   Once he finally spotted a small white box, he rushed and brought it to the kitchen where Will was just standing there, watching as the blood appeared constantly, and then was washed off. Mike opened the box, finding a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, along with cotton pads and a box of bandages.

   He put a bit of the alcohol onto a pad, then reached for Will’s finger, “Here, give it.”

   Will held out his finger, and Mike slowly tapped the cut with the pad, making Will bite his lip. It stung so bad.

   After, he took a bandage, wrapping it around Will’s finger. He was concentrated.

   Though it seemed odd, Mike knew what to do, but it was only because of the many times in the past when he’d get cuts and the nurse or his parents had to heal it.

   Will sighed, staring down at his finger, “Sorry.”

   Mike brought him over to the couch, “Why would you have to be sorry? There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

  “…” Will frowned, still looking down.

    Mike was holding his hand still, even though he wasn’t treating the cut or anything.

  “Thanks, though.”

  “Hm?”

  “For helping.”

  “Yeah- it’s…it’s no problem.” Mike stared at him, observing his face from the side. Will looked back, not saying a single word.

   _You need him._

   Mike held up Will’s hand.

   _And he needs you. He need someone to take care of him and help him._

   Mike gently placed a kiss on his finger, closing his eyes while doing so.

   _Or does he?_

   It was silent as Will watched, cheeks warm. Mike looked up, becoming flustered as he realized what he did. _He probably doesn’t. He doesn_ ’ _t need a queer._

  “Oh- s-sorry- I don’t know why I did that-“

    _He doesn’t need you._

  “It’s ok.”

   Mike bit his lip nervously, letting go of his hand. _What the hell were you thinking?_

   Will grabs his hand again, “Hey, Mike, I said it’s ok.” He smiled.

   _Were you thinking he loves you?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on finishing this before New Years so stick around until then :o


	5. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Party goes to Mike's house for Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am just so desperate to type this
> 
> twitter, instagram, and tumblr (wtf i know): @yellingkoshii

  
   They were older, and Mike assumed it made sense for Will to want to be more independent and away from his family.

   It was Christmas, and Mike decided he’d have everyone over. His parents didn't seem to mind, and everyone else's parents were fine with it too. Will loved Joyce and Jonathan too much though, and stayed there for an hour or two to celebrate before leaving for Mike’s, hence why he was came after an hour everyone else did.

   The day was pretty normal, like any other hang out, except this time it was Christmas themed. Of course, they exchanged presents, enjoyed the eggnog and hot chocolate Karen had made before she left with the others, and decided they would even make cookies.

   Though it wasn't surprising that their entire baking process was a living nightmare. It was just constant yelling, laughing, and horse-play. The kitchen was a mess, and so were they. Flour and sugar splattered everywhere. The kids were lucky no other Wheeler was home.

   The cookies were fine when they came out the oven, and they were glad. Will had even suggested that they do a cookie decorating competition. They all agreed, and Will would regret the idea once he ended up with frosting on his face and sprinkles spilled on the floor.

  “Oh my god- Dustin! Stop!” Will giggled, trying to move around Dustin’s frosting-hand, “You're going to get that all over me!”

   Mike was laughing, along with the others, but he knew he was blushing. His cheeks felt warm, and his heart would almost skip a beat when he caught a glimpse of Will’s smile.

   The competition ended with no one winning or losing. Everyone had destroyed each other's cookies before they got a chance to judge each one. No one was upset though, they were all enjoying it.

   Once they had calmed down, they gawked at the disaster in the kitchen.

  “Oh god, ok, we have to clean this.” Mike said, rummaging through one of the cabinets. He pulled out towels and sponges, leaving them out in the living room. “Clean as much as you can.”

   Everyone nodded, and grabbed something to clean with. Dustin and Lucas were scrubbing the counter, chuckling as they started to see who can scrub faster. El was carefully taking all of the used tools and putting them in the sink, washing them with Max. Mike and Will were cleaning the ground. Will would use a wet sponge first, then Mike would follow after him with a towel.  
  
   At some point, they accidentally headbutt each other, causing both of them to laugh. Though it was like no one else was there, and their faces were only there for the other to see. Will had snorted after taking a close look at Mike's face, and brushed his finger across his cheek. He retrieved a small bit of red frosting from it, but just rubbed it on Mike's nose afterwards.

  “You look like Rudolph now.” Will smiled. Mike looked down, concealing his blush, and rubbed his nose with his sleeve. They went back to cleaning.

   Thankfully, it was easy to clean.

   They had spend the rest of the time watching movies and talking, but as it grew late, they started leaving one by one.

   Will was the only one left.

  “You're not going home?” Mike said, folding the blankets they used in the living room and turning off the television.

   Will shook his head, watching, “No. I told them I wanted to stay.” He grabbed the small bag he brought from the floor, “That's fine, right?”

  “Yeah, of course. Just put your bag in my room, I'll get a sleeping bag out in a minute.”

  “Ok.”

   Mike had finally organized the living room, relieved that the house looked normal, and grinned. He walked over to the stairs, coming from the kitchen, but stopped when he heard footsteps coming close. He looked up, seeing Will.

  “Hi.”

   He stood still for a moment, taking quick glances around.

   Right above where the two were standing, there was a small bundle of green leaves along with a few fake, red berries. A mistletoe.

   Mike had never been so terrified. If Will saw it, it'd be over for him. The thought of even kissing Will made his heart race.

  “Did you- uh- forget something?” Mike just knew his face was turning pink, just from the way Will’s eyebrow raised.

  “No, just...just wanted a glass of water.”

  “Oh, I see.” Mike awkwardly let Will slip past him.

   Blushing, he ran up the stairs before Will could comment on how tense and stiff he became. He came into the room, taking a deep breath.

    _You're hopeless._

   Mike flinched. He was pretty glad that he didn't hear that voice inside of him for most of the day, otherwise it would've ruined everything. It was honestly pissing him off, and the longer it stayed, the more he tried to push it into the back of his head. At this point, it only came up a few times.

   He knew at some point he would have to admit it, though. He can't hide it for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> he didn't really 'almost confess', i know, but hey, this is the last one before the actual thing ! :))


	6. New Year's (+1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was New Year's, and everyone was at the Byers' house to celebrate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this would be longer  
> but no  
> and thats ok

 

   Mike snorted as he watched, Dustin groaned and Steve frowned.

  “You’re not drinking. You’re young, and you know it.” Steve said, being the parent-figure he is. It was funny to Mike, seeing how he used to be a terrible influence, now being an encouraging friend to the Party.

   Steve continued to give Dustin a small lecture as he took the bottle from his hands. Mike just stood behind the couch while everyone else was closer, and crowded around the small television.

  “Do you think you’ll ever drink in the future?”

   Mike looked down at Will who was in front of him, “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “I…probably won’t.” Will was obviously thinking about _something,_ and Mike knew exactly what that _something_ was.

   Mike glanced at his watch, “Anyways- we have a minute until the ball drops.”  He motioned towards the television where there was a view of the ball in New York, the one that always dropped on New Year’s.

  “Right, um,” Will got up, excusing himself from where he sat between Eleven and Joyce, and moved next to Mike. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Mike raised an eyebrow at the sudden change, but shrugged and just stood there silently while everyone else had their own conversation.

   A little bit later, and there were fifteen seconds left, and that’s when Will finally spoke.

  “Mike?”

  “Yeah?” They looked at each other, slowly muting out the commotion.

  “Thanks…for being my friend and all.” It was an awkward statement, and Will looked uncomfortable. But Mike noticed, he noticed the faint pink on his cheeks.

   _You don’t think he’s going to, do you?_

   It was still bugging him, but right now, in the direction this seemed like it was going, he’s not going to deal with it.

  “You’ve been really nice to me, and I’m glad. We’ve been friends for…awhile.” Will looked down, becoming embarrassed, “And I…”

  “Five!” They were already starting the countdown, but Will and Mike were focused on each other.

  “I just want to say-“

  “Four!”

  “I-“

  _“Three!”_

   The shouting was muffled now, and Mike’s heart was pounding. _There’s no way he would. There’s no way_ you _would._

  _“Two!”_

_Would you? Would you after all those times? Everytime you almost slipped up? Are you just going to say it now and get it over with?_

   Mike held the side of Will’s face, making sure they made eye contact, and took in a deep breath.

   _I hope so._

  “I like you.” Mike confessed first, his voice quick  shaking.

   _“One!”_

   They both leaned in, softly kissing each other—it was brief.

  _“Happy New Year!”_

   Will smiled, so much it probably hurt, and wrapped his arms around Mike. He made a slightly worried face when he saw Mike’s face though. He was happy, but there were tears rolling down his cheeks.

   They didn’t say anything, and just went back in. This kiss lasted longer though. It was chaste, and all of the emotions they’ve been feeling for each other over the years were being poured into it. Mike’s hand went around to hold the back of Will’s head, keeping him close. They had both been waiting for this for so long, and they didn’t realize how much weight would be lifted off their shoulders until they actually did it.

   Once they finally separated, Mike wiped his face with his sleeve, laughing slightly.

  “How long have you-“

  “Ever since we met.”

   They hugged, and this hug was different, it was one they’ve always wanted to do. One where they feel the attraction towards each other.

   They heard cheering, but when they broke apart and looked around, it wasn’t about the New Year, it was about _them_.

   Joyce and Jonathan came up to Will, grinning at him. Jonathan pat his back, whispering, “Good job, buddy.” Joyce looked like she was on the verge of crying.

   Mike’s parents didn’t come up, they just stood in awe, but Nancy walked over. Nancy hugged Mike, jokingly saying, “Finally.”

  “What do you mean, ‘finally’?”

  “Mike, it’s been years. I’m pretty sure _everyone_ has been waiting for this moment.”

  “ _Everyone?_ ”

   Mike looked around at everybody, who seemed all happy for them. His mouth curved into an ‘o’. They eventually all came over, basically comforting the two and telling them that ’it was about time’.

   It ended with Mike and Will holding hands, laughing. After all this time, they were finally able to just say it. Say that they loved each other. Mike had been begging for this moment to come, and it finally did.

   Once everyone had calmed down, it became silent. Everyone’s focus was on the two. They stood awkwardly.

   Joyce looked around at everyone, then asked, “So,”

   They were all thinking the same thing.

  “Are you guys dating?”

   _Yeah,_ are _you guys dating?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! Thank you for the support, I appreciate it. It kept me going. If you have any suggestions, talk to me! Comment it or  
> (shameless promotion)   
> talk to me on my twitter/tumblr/instagram, they all go by @yellingkoshi  
> (I'm screaming internally for every second I live)


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